I. Related Applications
The present invention relates to application Ser. No. 08/688,657, filed Jul. 29, 1996, and entitled "REUSABLE PRESSURE SPRAY CONTAINER".
II. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to product packaging and dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a refillable container for dispensing liquid products as a fine mist or spray and including a built-in pump for pressurizing the container.
III. Discussion of the Prior Art
Spray bottles or cans including an air pump mechanism for injecting air under pressure into the container by actuation of a sliding piston in a cylinder is known in the art. In this regard, reference is made to the Tada Patent 4,492,320 which describes a spray can including a cylindrical container for the liquid to be dispensed and a dispensing tube leads from a location at the bottom of the liquid out through a dispensing valve to the atmosphere. Built into the container is a pump structure having an outer cylinder that extends coaxially within the container for a substantial length of the container and the air outlet ports from this cylinder are located at the top thereof so that they will be above the liquid level. An elongated piston rod connects a reciprocally movable base member to a piston head that is reciprocally movable within the pump cylinder. As the base member and attached piston are reciprocated, the air pressure is built up above the surface of the liquid, thus forcing the liquid up through the dispensing tube and out the dispensing valve when the thumb is used to depress and thereby open the dispensing valve.
Because the pressurizing pump occupies a substantial portion of the available volume within the container, it limits the amount of product that can be dispensed from a can of a given size. Moreover, the container described in the Tada patent is permanently sealed following the filling thereof and, thus, is incapable of being refilled with product once empty.
In this design, only the liquid product being dispensed rises up the tube and none of the compressed air is introduced into the liquid stream to create a fine mist. A fine mist is desired where quick drying of the spray is desired.
Thus, a need exists for a spray can or bottle that is capable of being refilled and which can be repressurized by a built-in pump that occupies only a very small volume of the container, making it possible to dispense a greater volume of product prior to refilling.